Sunday, 17 July 2016

Pitsford CBC

HelloJohn Woollett and team were busy ringing at Stortons Gravel Pits this morning and were rewarded with a good catch of 60 birds. Reed Warblers dominated with 27 individuals being caught, one of which was a 'control' from elsewhere. Other birds included 4 Sedge Warblers, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Chiffchaffs, 4 Blackcaps, a Whitethroat and a Garden Warbler.Details have come through of a Goldfinch first ringed locally at Greens Norton by Chris Payne back in October 2014. It was aged as a young male and was found freshly dead at Little Fenton in North Yorkshire on 7th July this year. That is a distance of 186km to the north and a duration of 624 days between the two dates. This basic data suggests it was a breeding bird in Yorkshire but wintered further south in the autumn and winter.Today the last Common Bird Census of the season was completed on the reserve at Pitsford Reservoir. Singing birds are now beginning to falter but a late season visit is always worthwhile to confirm breeding birds which are less visible in the spring and early summer. A brood each of Gadwall and Tufted Duck confirmed successful breeding, a family party of Spotted Flycatchers probably nested just off the reserve and still begging Tawny Owl and Sparrowhawk juveniles were audible early morning. A Willow Tit was in the Scaldwell Bay, a Grey Wagtail flew over and other birds in the Scaldwell Bay included a Green Sandpiper, a Ruddy Shelduck and three Red-crested Pochard.The female of the pair of Oystercatchers is a ringed bird and digital cameras provide us with an opportunity of reading the ring number in the field. She was originally caught and ringed as an adult at Pitsford Reservoir on 12th June 2012 and the likelihood is that she has returned to breed every year since.Insects on the wing included many common butterflies and large numbers of Common Blue Damselflies. Dragonflies included Blue Emperor, Brown Hawker and Black-tailed Skimmer.RegardsNeil M